Desires
grow like mushrooms. They know no end. Hardly when one of them is satisfied, another one
rears its head. This process continues. Mirza Ghalib, the famous Urdu poet, did not lament
in vain, when he said :
A thousand desires, each worth a
life-time,
A lot many fulfilled, still many
more chime.
In
the tangled woodland of desires, one is like a fly caught in the cobwed. There is no way
to come out of their vicious circle. They hold us in vice - like grip.
Desires
are of two types: inborn and borrowed ones. Inborn desires have a touch of Divinity. They
tend to mould us as a perfect man or woman. They lead us to the purpose, for which a man
is born. i.e. seeking God, who created him. Such desires are noble, sublime, elevating and
inspiring. They inspire us to lead a life of contentment, virtue and piety. We feel an
inclination to move among men of knowledge and learning, to visit places of pilgrimage, to
do good to the people and to wipe off the tears of the suffering.
The
borrowed desires are propelled and motivated by our curiosity and inclination to imitate
others. The lure of imitation lands us into many a mire of
sorrow and suffering. If we see a smart man, we try to outsmart him. If someone wears fine
and costly clothes, the fire of envy rages fiercely in us and we would not rest contented
unless we procure a still finer dress. Such
desires tend to waste our time and resources in a silly and idle pursuit. They land us in
troubled waters. For mere show, we burden ourselves with avoidable misery, headache and
tension.
Competition
is not bad. To possess ambition is not a crime. To progress and move forward in life is
praise-worthy. Progressive outlook is indeed a virtue. But what we need is to maintain a
proper balance between desires and means adopted for their fulfillment. If we bend all our
energies in stealing a march over others in fields of dress, style and standard, we may be
able to do so but at a heavy cost. In the bargain, we shall lose peace of mind and the joy
of homely life. We would be like the motorbike rider in daredevil race who, in a bid to
overtake others, is often toppled and crashes. Illogical cut - throat competition often
ends in chaos and misery.
In
order to lead a happy and balanced life, we must learn to distinguish between inborn or
genuine desires and the borrowed ones. As the proverb goes: borrowed garments never fit
well; they make one look odd. The inborn or genuine desires are something more than mere
imagination; they are prophecies and predictions, which can become realities. They lead us
to the abode of Creator. On the contrary, the borrowed desires, with an eye upon worldly
acclaim, cost us dearly. A crow with a peacock feather does not
become a peacock. A fox with a lion’s tail will remain a fox. Imitation is after all
imitation. A crystal of sugar cannot become a diamond.
A fly will betray its imitation. Pursuit of genuine desires leads us to
peace, bliss and happiness or a state of contentment. But if we weave a cobweb of borrowed
desires, born out of jealousy and a sense of out-smarting others, we shall be doomed to
frustration, misery and tears. A feeling of unfulfilment shall continue to haunt us till
we finally close our eyes in eternal sleep. For desires, the sky is the limit and man a
mere pigmy.